Letters Home from a Yankee Doughboy 1916-1919

Have just received your letter of Dec 8 in which you spoke of sending a package and also one sent by Lil. Both have arrived and all the contents are very much appreciated and were neaded greatly, especially the socks, razor blades and pipe. Socks are our greatest worry and I think I have explained the weather and the condition of the ground we are quartered on. Lil sent two more pair of socks in her box so you see Im pretty well heeled in this respect.

It is snowing now which will only add a little to the under foot discomforture we are gladly putting up with, now that we have been assured that we start next week for the (good old U.S.). No doubt I will see you shortly after this reaches you if not before, for as things stand now we leave here Tuesday the 14th for Le Mans, there to be placed in quarenteen and to be decootieorized. This will take ten or fifteen days after which we are pretty sure now that its “Homeward Bound” for us.

We have just been paid to date in full, and must say that Im feeling good. Must take some time off to buy souvineers which means a good twenty five miles from here. I started this yesterday and since then I got two more letters from you dated Dec. 15 & 19. I see by your letter of the 8th that Pa is on the night shift again and Im glad that he is feeling O.K.

Yes I did write around the 11th of Nov. and I should say its about time you got this letter. The Lord only knows now what I said in it for I was so happy and surprised that I may have said anything. I feel very sorry for “Old Bill” on losing his son. The boys that are going home sure are going to feel for parents in his position, and they will get all the sympathy from us that is due them. Don’t worry about my accepting any inducements to stay in France for I guess sixteen months of it, the most of which were very uncomfortable is enough. Your letter gives me a good welcome home which is more than any proposition they can offer.

Glad to know that Madge and the rest are all well. Give them all my best wishes and say that the reason Im not writing now is because there is nothing of interest to say and that I expect to see them all soon anyway. It is still very damp, rainy and disagreeable here and they can’t get us out of France any too soon…